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November 4, 2008    DOL Home > Newsroom > News Releases   
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION USDL 03-811-NAT
   
   

Program Contact:

TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL IN THIS

Thomas Stengle (202) 693-2991

RELEASE IS EMBARGOED UNTIL

Media Contact :

8:30 A.M. (EST), THURSDAY

(202) 693-4676

December 4, 2003

 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Nov. 29, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 365,000, an increase of 11,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 354,000. The 4-week moving average was 362,500, an increase of 3,000 from the previous week's revised average of 359,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.7 percent for the week ending Nov. 22, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's revised rate of 2.6 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Nov. 22 was 3,385,000, an increase of 44,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,341,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,419,250, a decrease of 22,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,441,750.
 

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 357,230 in the week ending Nov. 29, a decrease of 40,641 from the previous week. There were 385,788 initial claims in the comparable week in 2002.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.4 percent during the week ending Nov. 22, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,985,168, a decrease of 149,138 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.4 percent and the volume was 3,106,044.

Extended benefits were available in Alaska, Michigan, North Carolina, Oregon, and Washington during the week ending Nov. 15.

53 states reported that 811,980 individuals filed continued claims under the Federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program during the week ending Nov. 15.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 2,285 in the week ending Nov. 22, an increase of 309 from the prior week. There were 1,676 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 142 from the preceding week.

There were 22,123 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Nov. 15, an increase of 3,621 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 24,308, an increase of 1,213 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Nov. 15 were in Alaska (5.7 percent), Puerto Rico (4.3), Oregon (3.8), Washington (3.7), California (3.5), Pennsylvania (3.4), Michigan (3.1), New Jersey (3.1), Arkansas (3.0), Massachusetts (2.9), and Montana (2.9).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Nov. 22 were in California (+7,040), Michigan (+5,345), Missouri (+4,880), Illinois (+4,011), and Kentucky (+3,723), while the largest decreases were in Georgia (-1,919), New Jersey (-1,206), Texas (-209), South Dakota (-33), and Nebraska (-10).


UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

 

Advance

 

 

 

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Nov. 29 

Nov. 22

Change

Nov. 15 

Year


Initial Claims (SA)

365,000

354,000

+11,000

362,000

385,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

357,230

397,871

-40,641

347,282

385,788

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

362,500

359,500

+3,000

368,750

389,000

 

Advance

 

 

 

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Nov. 22

Nov. 15 

Change

Nov. 8

Year


Ins. Unemployment (SA)

3,385,000

3,341,000

+44,000

3,475,000

3,482,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

2,985,168

3,134,306

-149,138

2,991,723

3,106,044

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

3,419,250

3,441,750

-22,500

3,491,000

3,526,500


Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

2.7%

2.6%

+0.1

2.7%

2.7%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

2.4%

2.5%

-0.1

2.4%

2.4%


INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

 

 

 

 

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Nov. 22

Nov. 15

Change

Year


Federal Employees

2,285

1,976

+309

2,197

Newly Discharged Veterans

1,676

1,534

+142

1,440


PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

 

 

 

 

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Nov. 15

Nov. 8

Change

Year


Federal Employees

22,123

18,502

+3,621

21,246

Newly Discharged Veterans

24,308

23,095

+1,213

19,592

Railroad Retirement Board

3,000

3,000

0

5,000

Extended Benefits

29,030

29,711

-681

12,710

Federal (TEUC)

811,980

806,109

+5,871

783,768


FOOTNOTES
SA - Seasonally Adjusted Data
NSA - Not Seasonally Adjusted Data
1 - Prior year is comparable to most recent data.
2 - Most recent week used covered employment of 126,428,924 as denominator.

UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 11/22/2003 


STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 


State

Change

 

State Supplied Comment

GA

-1,919

 

Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

NJ

-1,206

 

Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries.


STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 


OH

+1,211

 

No comment.

SC

+1,499

 

Layoffs in the textile industry.

VA

+1,831

 

No comment.

AL

+1,838

 

Layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

OR

+1,843

 

No comment.

PA

+1,921

 

Layoffs in the textile and public administration industries.

NY

+2,095

 

No comment.

FL

+2,134

 

Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, an manufacturing industries, and agriculture.

AR

+2,314

 

No comment.

WA

+2,422

 

No comment.

KY

+3,723

 

No comment.

IL

+4,011

 

Layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.

MO

+4,880

 

Layoffs in the transportation industry.

MI

+5,345

 

Layoffs in the automobile and construction industries.

CA

+7,040

 

Layoffs in the construction and service industries.




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